Shoulder pad and prong type attaching means



S. L ERMA SHOULDER PAD AND PRONG TYPE ATTACHING MEANS FiledNovL 25, 19492 SHEETS-Sl-IEET 1 STEPHEN LERMA INVENTOR BMW ATTORNEY Dec. 2, 1952 5,fq A 2,619,650

SHOULDER PAD AND PRONG TYPE ATTACHING MEANS Filed Nov. 25. 194s 2SHEETS-Sl-IEET- 2 FIG-(5' STEPHEN LERMA ATTORNEY ;;i= INVENTOR BMW!Patented Dec. 2, 1952 SHOULDER PAD AND PRONG TYPE ATTACHING MEANSStephen Lerma, Flushing, N. Y. Application November 25, 1949, Serial No.129,244

6 Claims. (01. 2-268) This invention relates to a fastening andsupporting device for releasably securing shoulder pads upon theshoulder straps of wearing apparel such as slips, brassieres and likegarments.

An object of this invention is to provide a supporting device fixed to ashoulder pad by forcing therethrough fastener elements and clinching theelements interiorly of the shoulder pad material in order that theshoulder pad may be readily attached to and supported upon shoulderstraps and the like on wearing apparel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shoulder pad or devicehaving a prong type supporting device permanently'secured thereto andadapted to be releasably attached to a shoulder strap of a slip orbrassire by pressure against the shoulder strap when lying on theshoulder pad.

In present types of shoulder pads for garments, the shoulder pads arestitched to the garment but when dry cleaning is required, the stitchinghas to be removed. After dry cleaning, the shoulder pads must again bestitched to the garment.

With the prong type supporting device herewith disclosed, the shoulderpad may be attached to or removed from a slip or other undergarmenthaving shoulder straps or other material running across the shoulder byprong engagementwith the shoulder strap. These attaching and removingactions may be repeatedly done without any damage to the shoulder strapfabric.

With the above and other objectsin view, the invention will behereinafter more particularly described, and the combination andarrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference now will be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing'two shoulder pads as applied inpractice.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of a shoulder pad having a prong typeconnecting device permanently secured thereto.-

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of an assembled connecting device.

Figure 5 is a front view of the assembled connecting device shown inFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a side view of the assembled connecting device shown inFigure 4.

Figure '7 is a bottom view of the assembled connecting device secured toa shoulder pad and having a shoulder strap forcibly engaged andremovably held thereby against a shoulder pad.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 indicatesa shoulder pad having a prong type attaching or supporting clamp I lfixed thereto, and by means of which the shoulder pad can be firmly andsafely secured to the shoulder The attaching or connecting clamp llcomprises a rectangular grip-plate l4 having four sharp pointed prongsI5 extending laterally thereof and adapted to forcibly engage theshoul-" der pad' [0 to securely hold a shoulder strap 12 against theshoulder pad 10. The grip-platel l has two spaced-apart cross-bars 16 atopposite sides and centrally thereof.

A retaining plate 11 is placed against the opposite face of the shoulderpad 10.

thereof and of a length to ride over the cross-bars I6 of the plate 14and to be clinched over the cross-bars whereby the grip-plate l4 and theretaining plate ll are united to function in unitary relation to gripthe shoulder pad from opposite sides.

The grip-plate 14 has transverse slots 20 and openings 2| between theprongs l5 communicating with the slots 20. The widths of the slots 20are preferably the same as the width of the shoulder strap 12. The plateI 4 has a central aperture 22.

It will be seen that the shoulder padlfl is fully adapted for thepurpose of building up the shoulder line of the garment, thus impartinga neat tailored appearance to the garment.

It will also be seen that the invention provides an exceedingly usefuland advantageous form of connecting means by means of which a'shoulderpad may be readily and easily attached to any garment having shoulderstraps and to releasably hold the shoulder pad against displacement fromthe shoulder strap.

When the grip-plate I4 is assembled with the The retain ing plate ll hastwo arms [8 extending laterally 3 retaining plate 11, the arms l8 arepressed through the body of the shoulder pad 10 and passed throughopenings 23 in the grip-plate M. The free ends 24 of the arms l8 arebent over or clinched over the cross-bars It, the free ends being curvedinwardly.

The filling material in the body of the pad is slightly compressed toretain the exposed surfaces of the grip-plate l4 and of the retainingplate ll below the exposed surfaces of the shoulder pad It so that themetal parts will not contact the body of the wearer.

To attach the shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment, the userfolds the shoulder pad body away from the prongs I and passes theshoulder strap through an opening 2| and: places the shoulder strapunder two prongs and into a slot 20. This folded portion of the .padbody is then released to its normal position against the prongs. Theuser then takes an adjacent portion of the shoulder strap and engages itunder the two opposite prongs in a similar manner. This causes amultiple grip of the shoulder strap.

It is to be noted that the filling material 26 is highly compressibleand resilient and springs back into normal position when released afterfolding. This resiliency causes body pressure against the prongs to gripthe shoulder strap between the body and the prongs.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustratedthe preferred embodiment. of my invention, but it will be understoodthat various changes and modifications can be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a shoulder pad having a flexible body, means forremovably connecting said shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment,said connecting means comprising a flat rectangular plate secured tosaid shoulder pad, said plate having transverse slots and openingscommunicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strapbeing adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slotsandtoi be positioned respectively in interengagement with opposite sidesof said connecting means, said connecting means having laterallyextending prongs at said openings for engaging adjacent portions of saidstrap after insertion into said slots, said strap being releasablysecured by said prongs against the body of said shoulder pad at each endof said connecting means.

2. In combination, a shoulder pad having a flexible body, means forremovably connecting said shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment,said connecting means comprising a perforated flat rectangular platehaving centrally positioned bars, a retaining plate on the opposite faceof said shoulder pad and having laterally extending arms passing throughsaid body and through said perforations and being clinched over saidbars to secure said perforated plate to said retaining plate and to saidshoulder pad, said perforated plate having transverse slots and openingscommunicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strapbeing adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slotsand to be positioned respectively in interengagement with opposite sidesof said connecting means, said connecting means having laterallyextending prongs at said openings for engaging adjacent. portions ofsaid strap after insertion into said slots, said strapbeing releasablysecured by said prongs againstthebody of said shoulder pad at each endof said connecting means.

3. In combination, a shoulder pad having a flexible body, means forremovably connecting said shoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment,said connecting means comprising a perforated flat rectangular platehaving bars, a retaining plate on the opposite face of said shoulder padand having laterally extending arms passing through said body andthrough said perforations and being clinched over said bars to securesaid perforated plate to said retaining .plate and to said shoulder pad,said perforated plate having transverse slots and openings communicatingwith said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adaptedto extend inwardly through said openings into said slots and to bepositioned respectively in interengagement with said connecting means,said connecting means having laterally extending prongs at said openingsfor engaging adjacent portions of said strap under-said prongs afterinsertion into said slots, said strap being releasably secured .by saidprongs against the body of said shoulder pad.

4. In combination, a shoulder pad, means for removably connecting saidshoulder pad to a shoulder strap of a garment, said connecting meanscomprising an apertured grip-plate on oneface of said shoulder pad, saidgrip-plate having cross-bars, a retaining plate on the opposite face ofsaid shoulder pad and having laterally extending arms passing throughsaid shoulder pad and through said apertures and being clinched oversaid cross-bars to secure said plate tosaid retaining plate and to saidshoulder pad, said grip-plate having transverse slots and openingscommunicating with said slots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strapbeing adapted to extend inwardly through said openings into said slotsand to be positioned respectively in interengagement with saidconnecting means, said connecting means having laterally extendingprongs at said openings in said grip-plate for engaging adjacentportions of said shoulder strap under said prongs and against said pad,said strap being releasably secured by said prongs.

5. A two-piece connector for removably connecting a device to a shoulderstrapof a garment, said connector comprising a perforated flatrectangular plate having centrally positioned bars adapted to lie on oneface of said device, a retaining plate adapted to lie on the oppositeface of said device and having laterally extending arms for passingthrough said device and through said perforations and being adapted tobe clinched over said bars to secure said perforated plate to saidretaining plate and to said device, said perforated plate havingtransverse slots and openings communicating with said slots, adjacentportions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extend inwardly throughsaid open.- ings into said slots and to be positioned respectively ininterengagement with opposite sides of said connector, said connectorhaving laterally ing plate adaptedjo lie; on; the opposite face. of:

said device and having laterally extending arms for passing through saiddevice and through said apertures and being of a length sufficient to beclinched over said cross-bars to secure said gripplate to said retainingplate and to said device and grip said device from opposite sides, saidgrip-plate having transverse slots and openings communicating with saidslots, adjacent portions of said shoulder strap being adapted to extendinwardly through said openings into said slots and to be positionedrespectively in interengagement with said connector, said connectorhaving laterally extending prongs at said openings in said grip-platefor engaging adjacent portions of said shoulder strap under said prongsand against said body, said strap being adapted to be releasably securedby said prongs.

STEPHEN LERMA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,422,834 Kleinman June 24, 19472,467,488 Markham Apr. 19, 1949

